3 Hooks That Always Work (Even If You’re Bored of Them)

You’ve seen these hooks before:

• “Okay, someone has to say it…”

• “It’s 2025 and people are still doing X…”

• “[Thing] is dead. But maybe not the way you think…”

And you’ve probably rolled your eyes. But you still clicked.

Here’s why they work and how to use them without sounding like everyone else.

1. “Okay, someone has to say it…”

→ Creates tension.

It signals a contrarian take is coming.

People read on because they expect you to break a norm or expose a truth.

Use it when you’re about to say something that others are afraid to.

2. “It’s 2025 and people are still doing X…”

→ Creates context.

It sets up frustration with the status quo.

Readers immediately align with you if they’ve felt the same or get defensive if they haven’t. Either way, they engage.

3. “[Thing] is dead. But maybe not the way you think…”

→ Creates curiosity.

It’s the perfect bait-and-switch. You pull people in with a bold claim, then surprise them with nuance.

Use this to refresh ideas that people think are outdated (like… lead magnets 👀).

If you master hooks, you master attention.
If you master attention, you master leads.

In my Content Catalyst program, I help founders build systems that do both.

• 3 LinkedIn posts/week

• Full DM strategy

• Tailored positioning revamp

• Open Slack channel

• 1-1 access to me

Reply “CATALYST” if you want to turn content into pipeline.